Montres Germinal

Montres Germinal was a 20th century watchmaking company that traces its roots to the 19th century firm of Picard Fils of Les Vèrrieres, perhaps founded as early as 1849.

Raphaël, Moïse, and Léon Picard came from Morteau in France

An 1895 ad notes that the firm of Picard & Cie. is located at Léopold-Robert 58 "Next to the Grand Hotel Central" and produces watches "in all genres: Specialty of stopwatches; chronograph repeaters and other complicated parts; fancy watches for ladies, etc."

Brand names in 1908 include L'Aiglon, Baron, La Baronne, La Hormiga, Inedita, and Chronometro Naval. A 1913 ad shows that the company is located at Rue Jaquet-Droz 43 and Rue du Midi in La Chaux-de-Fonds and has a branch in Paris at 30 and 32 Place St-Georges. It also claims to be the largest producer of repeating watches in the world, with 1000 examples always in stock. It is also shown as a producer of an extra-thin chronograph and a wristwatch.

By 1920 Germinal had moved strongly into wristwatches, boasting of "watches of every description."

Timeline

• 1849 - 20th century advertisements put the founding of the company at 1849
• 1855 - Picard Fils is listed in Couvet and Vèrrieres
• 1859 - Picard Fils is listed in Vèrrieres
• 1861 - Picard Père et Fils is noted at Cernier in the Val-de-Ruz, Les Vèrrieres; it is in the business of watchmaking
• 1868 - The firm of Picard Père et Fils is located at Rue de la Serre 10 in La Chaux-de-Fonds
• 1883 - A survey of businesses show Picard Père & Fils as run by Raphaël, Moïse, and Léon Picard; it is engaged in the manufacture and sale of watches and is located at Rue de la Serre 10 in La Chaux-de-Fonds
• 1886 - Picard Père & Fils is dissolved, replaced by Picard & Cie; managers are Raphaël Picard-Aaron of Morteau is a limited partner and Moïse Picard-Bloch of Les Verrières is a full partner; the firm is still located at Rue de la Serre 10
• 1895 - The company relocates to Rue Léopold-Robert 58
• 1897 - The company is reorganized, though again named Picard & Cie; Moïse Picard and his son Georges Picard, both of Les Verrières, are managers; the company is located at Rue Léopold-Robert 58
• 1901 - The company is again reorganized under the same name, this time with Georges and Edmond Picard, both sons of Moïse, as managers; the company is located on Rue Daniel JeanRichard 39
• 1902 - The company relocated to Rue Jaquet-Droz 43
• 1905 - The name "Fabrique Germinal" is added to the name of the company
• 1917 - Georges Braun of Paris is noted as a manager of the firm
• 1919 - The company is reorganized under Edmond Picard-Ulmann and his wife Marthe-Gertrude (née Ullmann) as Picard et Co, Fabrique Germinal; the company is located at Rue Jaquet-Droz 43
• 1936 - The company is reorganized under Edmond Picard as "Edmond Picard, Montres Germinal" with the same address
• 1938 - Montres Germinal is located at Rue Jardinière 136
• 1942 - Following the death of Edmond Picard, a Société Anonyme is formed called Germinal SA with 50,000 francs of capital; Bertrand Voumard and Albert Baldensperger, both of Tramelan-Dessous are directors and Martial Bourquin of Les Verrières is a manager; the company is located at Rue Léopold-Robert 66
• 1954 - Montres Germinal is located at Rue Léopold-Robert 117
• 1961 - Montres Germinal is located at Place de la Gare 2 in Neuchâtel
• 1963 - Montres Germinal is located at Place de la Gare 4 in Neuchâtel